Follower block for filing drawers



Aug. 1631927.

L. H. DODGE FOLLOWEH BLOCK I YOR FILING DRAWERS Filed July so. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 an)?! ,Zbo e zizyarzaey. I

Aug. 16 1927.

- L. H. DODGE FOLLOWER BLOCK FOR FILING DRAWERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed-July 50; 1925 J'izuezzfan Z .s'afider/[Ja aye Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

O-EF ICE LYSANDERH. DODGE, OFVHUNTIINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

FOLLOWER'BLOCK ron FILING m'AwERs.

Applicationfiled July--30, 1925. Serial-No. 46,976.

This invention has to do with= follower blocks for filing drawers, cardindexxtrays and the like, and it is the general object of-theinventionto provide a superior device of this'character, both as regards simeplicity and general efficiency.

It is, of course, essential that follower blocks be movablelongitudinally of filing compartments andlield-firmly in adjustedposition; Yet the, holding means must' be of a nature to be readily andeasily released, as is well understood. Heretofore, so far as Iam-aware, in orderthat follower blocks may havethe desiredcharacteristics, it has been necessary-toprepare filing drawers or traysespecially for their reception. For instance,rods areused which extendlongltudinally of tlieireceptacle and pass through frictional bindingclamps'on-the follower; there have been ways extending longitudinally ofthe receptacle and taking flanges of the followers; and there have beenprovided horizontally spaced, vertically extending grooves inthe sidesofthereceptacles and'adapted to take anchoring tabs or flanges whichextend from the follower block, proper. So preparing the filing drawersare, of course, matters of considerable labor and expense, and it istherefore an object of-the present invention to provide a block whlchmay be used in any drawer (within-reasonable limits) without in anywayaltering said drawer by addition or mutilationp The economic advantagesof this featureare self evident. v 7

As further features, the block is so constructed that it may be usedinconnection with either wood or metal. filing drawers, and maybeextended or contracted to fit op eratively within drawers'ofidiiferentwidths. The block may also be a-djustedto extend verticallyor inclineforwardlyor rearwardly, such inclination being very desirable in certainsituations. I

Yet with all these possible adjustments, the releasable holding-means isof a character to hold the block firmly in set position.

Other objects and novel features will be apparent from the followingdetailed specification, reference being made tothe accompanyingdrawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, top plan viewof a drawer within which one of myfollower blocksis disposed; A

Fig. 2is a view of 'Fig.: 1 looking in the direction f arrow 2 F ig. 3is aview generally similar to Fig. 2,-butshowi1ig the block installed ina metal drawer "of greater width than-the drawer shown in Fig.- 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on broken-line 44 of F ig. '2;

Fig; .5 is an"enlar-ged horizontal section on line 55 of 2; I

Fig. 6 is enlarged fragmentary section on line 66 of Fig, 3; and

Fig; 7 *is a view showing-'how the block maybe supported in an inclinedposition and clearof-the drawer bottom;

In *Figures 1 and *2, I have shown; the rectangular block 10 disposedtransversely ln a'weoden drawer having sides 11 andbottom -12. I willdescribe the block as being made; of' metal" and as being longitudinallyextensible, but it-will be understood that-it lies -'-w1tl1in the-scope-of'-my broader claims to substitute other material and toma-ke'theblock; proper; of a single, 1 non-extensible p1ece.'--

Blocker-body member" 10- is made 'up of'two telescopically arranged" orrelatively longitudinallyslidable pla'tes'lt' and, 15. Plate-1 L ispreferably of double thickness, its walls being spacedapart'to'receiveplate 15- slidablybetween them. One wall ofthe tubular plate 'is fcutaway atone end 17 to accommodate the clampingapparatus (to bedescribed)v on plate 15, but such of the metal as is' leftat thiscut-away' end overhangs. upper andlower edges of plate 15 18and may betermedkeeper or'way defining flanges. A limiting stop 19 extendingthrough plate 14 maybe'adap'te'd to engage shoulder 20 0f plate-15 tolimit the relative 'contractive movement offthe plates; while set screws21 may be'threaded throughone \vall"of;plate-15 or flanges .18 and intocontact wvith plate 14' to hold "the plates releasably inadjustedposition.

Itjwijll be evident how screws 21 may be loosened to allow the,bodylme'mber to be extended or contracted to'fit drawers of 'dif ferentwidths. Thus, in Fig. 3 the block is shown extended to fit metal drawerM which inFig's;'1 and 2.

Plates '14 and 15 each have a clamping device'thereon, but since thesedevices may be; identical, I willdescribe but one in detail. Anangularly bent arm 22 is secured 111 any suitable manner (by solderingfor with metal drawers, I prefer to provideshoes 3a onbearing points26,27. These shoes may instance) to vertical rod 23, the latter bcing berubber vacuum cups 35 (Fig. 6) held rotatably supported on itsassociated plate by brackets 2 l7"The"'arm is"preferably"se cured to therod about t the point of its bend, and the end porti es eruie rdd whichhave bearing in brackets 2st may be of reduced diameter in order toprovide annular shoulders which coact with the brackets to limit thevertical movement of the rod with respect to the block plate.

The outer-end of each-arm 22 is forked, thus providing two or morevertically alined bearing points 26, 27 and the armisof such length thatwhen it is swung upon its vertical axistowards the plate and into aboutthe full line position of Fig. 1, the bearing points extend beyond theend of the block and into engagementwith the sidewall of the drawer. Aspring 28 is coiled about rod. 23 and its free ends 29 and 30 engageplate 15 and angular extension 81 of thearm, respectively, so as alwaysto tend to swing the forked end, of the arm towards theblock. Angularextension 31 provides a handhold whereby the operator may reach over thetop of theblock and press the horizontally spaced extension towards theblock and thereby swing the forked end of the arm into the dotted lineposition of Fig. 1, this against the action of spring 28. I I I I IIWith the two, plates similarly equipped with arms 22, it will be seenthat springs 28 normally hold the twosets of bearing points 26, 27 inpressural engagementwith the opposite side walls of the drawer and serveto hold the block from displacement. Extensions 3l'need only be pressedtoward the block to'swing the arms inwardly and thereby free thebearing'points from side walls 11 so the blockmay be shiftedlongitudinally of the drawer. I I Due to the four point'engagement ofthe arms, the block may be tilted at any angle, for instance, as shownin Fi 7 and it may even be supported so'its lower edge is clear of thedrawer bottom. I f I ln'ordcr that the body member may no unduly tilthorizontally about one or the other of rods 23 when in applied position,I may provide adjustable stops 32. These stops are illustrated as screwsthreaded through arms 22 and locked in adjusted position by jamb nuts'83, though, of course, the screws may, in somesitua-tions, be supportedby the body member and have their free ends adapted to be engaged by thearms. The stops may be considered as adjustable means for limitingthe'pivotalmovement of the arms in'their spring-urged direction,"and'itwill be seen that they prevent the arms from being swung intoparallelism the body member. f I v -Whenthe follower is used inconnection within sockets 36 which are fastened to plates 14,l5"at 37'.It willbe'readily understood that shoes of this type will grip the metalarmerwans' mifclrmore effectively than bar p ints .e a

lt will be understood the drawings and description are tobe considered.merely illustrative of and not restrictive onythe broader claimsappendedv hereto, for various changes in design structure.andarrangement may be made without departing from the spir t and scope ofsaid-claims.

iclaimz I I I I .Lln a device of the character described, a bl ckadapted to extend across a tile com} partment, apair of gripping armsadapted to. extend beyond opposite edges of the block and mountedthereon for pivotal movement about axes which are substantially parallelwith the block, springs applied to the. arms and adapted to swing thempivotally in opposite directions, and adjustable means acting betweensaid armsandblock adapted to limit theextentof pivotal movement of saidarms in saiddirections. i

2., Ina device offth e character described, a block adapted to extendacross a file compartment, a .pairof gripping arms adapted to extendbeyond opposite edges of the block and mountedthereon for pivotalmovement about axes which are subst'antially parallel with the block,springs applied to the arms and adapted to swingdhem pivotally towardsthe block, stopser'it ending fromthe arms towards the block and adaptedto engagesaid block to limit the extent of pivotal movement of said armsthere-towards;

3. In a device of the character described, a block adapted to extendacross a iile'com partm-cnt, a pair of gripping arms adapted to extendbeyond opposite edgesof the block and mounted thereon for pivotalmovement about axes which are substantially parallel with the block,springs appliedtofthe arms and adapted to swing them pivotally towardsthe blockQscrews threaded through the arms towards the block and adaptedto engage said block to limit the extent of piv otal movement of saidarms there' towards.

4. A follower block fora jfiling drawer, embodying a pair of rectangularplates in and extending transversely of the drawer, said plates beingadapted to slide longitudinally towards and away from one another. meanson the two plates adapted to coact in a manner to hold them againstlateral separative movement. releasable means for bolding the two platesagainst relative longitudinal movement, and 'ineanson the plates'adaptedto engage the'side walls of the drawer releasably for holdingthe follower in predetermined position within the drawer.

5. A follower block fora filing drawer, embodying a pair oftelescopically arranged plates, in and extending transversely of thedrawer, releasable means for holding the plates in adjusted telescopicrelation, and means on the plates adapted to engage the sidewalls of thedrawer releasably for holding the follower in predetermined positionwithin the drawer.

6. A follower block for a filing drawer, embodying a pair of rectangularplates in and extending transversely of the drawer, said plates beingadapted to slide longitudinally towards and away from one another,

3 means on the two plates adapted to coact in amanner to hold themagainst lateral separative movement, releasable means for holding thetwo plates against relative longitudinal movement, and means on theplates adapted to engage the side walls of the drawer releasably forholding the fol lower in predetermined position within the drawer, saidlast mentioned means including an'arm mounted on each plate forhorizontal pivotal movement, each arm being forked at one end and theforked end or" each arm being adapted to project beyond the free end ofthe associated plate when said arm is swung in a given direction, andsprings adapted to urge said arms in said given directions.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 9th day of July, 1925.

LYSANDER H. DODGE.

